Oil in radiator???

[Richard Moss]

I wouldn't be surprised if it's a problem with the lower inlet manifold gasket - a known weakness, after all.

 

[Tiger28]

I wouldn't be surprised if it's a problem with the lower inlet manifold gasket - a known weakness, after all.

So what a the tell signs for this problem ???

 

[Tiger28]

If it was the cooling system pellets causing the "OILY" contamination then this should show up on every car that has the pellets added. It does not because it's a faulty diagnosis.

I have NEVER had any sign of brown or other contaminant in my cooling system in my VY and I added the pellets myself with the last cooling system flush I carried out. 20 months later the coolant is very clean. There is no sign of any contaminent whatsoever on the coolant dipstick, in the radiator or on the radiator cap. The coolant is very, very clean. This is how it has always been on my vehicle and is how it should be.

The "oily brown" residue you refer to is not due to the cooling system pellets as the mechanic maintains. For starters the formulation of the pellets is completely non-oily. Buy some, crush one up and add it to the correct spec coolant mix and you will see that there is absolutely no "oily" substance formed in the sample.

In any event you have indicated above that you have flushed your radiator twice and the "oily" contamination re-appears each time. It will until the real problem is addressed.

Oil obviously floats and, as you have found, if an oily substance has found it's way into the coolant some will eventually attach itself to the radiator cap, the top of the inside of the radiator and the coolant dipstck.

Thanks for the feedback I'm just going on what he told me.He checked the car out properly as I said trans cooler,oil etc.

 

[smudgy]

how u going mate i work on cars all the time and this is a common fault with the vs to vy engines, its the inlet manafold, it is more common on the super charged vx commo's but it does do it on the rest of them, the good thing is its not a hard problem to fix

 

[Tiger28]

how u going mate i work on cars all the time and this is a common fault with the vs to vy engines, its the inlet manafold, it is more common on the super charged vx commo's but it does do it on the rest of them, the good thing is its not a hard problem to fix

Thanks mate for that.So how can I tell thats the problem ?? as I went to another 2 mechanics today and told me the radiator might be gone.I dont want to change things thats not the issue.What's it worth to fix?.

 

[monkeys437]

Thanks mate for that.So how can I tell thats the problem ?? as I went to another 2 mechanics today and told me the radiator might be gone.I dont want to change things thats not the issue.What's it worth to fix?.

"Radiator might be gone" sounds like a pretty vague diagnosis. If your car keeps temperature as it should and the radiator has no visible leak Id say the radiators fine.

 

[TMM]

Have to disagree there, my radiator has clocked 170,000kms still going strong

Knock on wood... Two VYs in my household, one let go at 130k and the other at 150k. Have heard of them going at less then 100k on the clock too.

I have NEVER had any sign of brown or other contaminant in my cooling system in my VY and I added the pellets myself with the last cooling system flush I carried out. 20 months later the coolant is very clean.

20 months isn't very long. Most VYs would probably go 5 years or longer on the same coolant. Not saying it's a good idea to go 5 years, it's just most owners aren't mechanically minded and the servicing schedule doesn't account for coolant (or brake fluid, or PS fluid or diff oil) so it pretty much gets ignored (at a dealership) unless something gets replaced requiring a flush, or the fluid deteriorates to the point where it causes a problem.

Most of the brown in commodores is caused by the pellets and the coolant itself reacting to a slow leak, such as a crack in the radiator, leaky inlet manifold gasket, leaky radiator cap etc. If there are no leaks, the system is clean and you put some pellets in then it should stay green for a fair while. Remember that the pellets are designed to swell up when exposed to air (e.g. a leak.) so eventually it will 'expire' due to exposure to air in the overflow tank.

 

[Tiger28]

Hi guys I posted to attachments of pictures of what l'm talking about .Cheers

 

[Tiger28]

"Radiator might be gone" sounds like a pretty vague diagnosis. If your car keeps temperature as it should and the radiator has no visible leak Id say the radiators fine.

Totally agree cars teperature is fine and there a no visible leak.

 

[TMM]

Looks like oil to me. Is there any coffee/milkshake like substance under the oil cap?, also check your transmission dipstick for contamination (should be bright red).